Sweet & Sticky Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Ingredients

• ~2.5 lb slab of pork belly (meaty)
• Japanese BBQ sauce (@trybachans) – as a binder
• SPG rub (salt, pepper, garlic)

Sweet & Sticky Sauce

• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup Japanese BBQ sauce
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp sriracha
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1.5 tbsp minced ginger
• 2.5 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• Cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water)

Toppings

• Bang bang sauce (@terrapinridgefarms)
• Sesame seeds
• Sliced green onions

Directions

• Cut the pork belly into ~1.25-inch cubes. Coat with Japanese BBQ sauce as a binder, then season all sides with SPG rub.
• Smoke at 275°F until they develop a nice bark and reach ~180°F internal (about 2–2.5 hours).
• For the sauce, add all ingredients to a pan over medium-low heat. Mix well and let simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened (~3–5 minutes). Set aside.
• Remove the pork belly from the smoker and place in a pan. Top with the sweet & sticky sauce, mix well, then cover tightly with foil.
• Place back on the smoker until probe tender (~203–205°F internal / 1–1.5 hours). Remove the foil and let them cook another 20–30 minutes to let the sauce tack up.
• Remove from the smoker, let cool a few minutes, then top with bang bang sauce, sesame seeds and green onions and serve.

Measurements are estimated; adjust to your preference.